The Moccasins 



their borders, and with some specimens they enclose light patches 

 of colour that match the general hue of the body. 



Head Markings. — The head is usually of a paler tint than the 

 body — often evincing a coppery tinge — hence the popular name. 

 The upper lips are of a lighter shade than the top of the head, the 

 line of intersection between the two hues beginning behind the 

 eye and extending to the angle of the mouth. 



Variations of Colour. — The ground-colour varies into dif- 

 ferent shades of brown and gray, but the pattern remains 

 strong and constant, although some specimens occurring inland 

 are dark with an obscure pattern. The writer has examined 

 several specimens of this colour phase from Ohio. They were 

 of a rich, dark brown, with little trace of the bands. 



Specimens from Texas are very striking in colouration. 

 With such reptiles the bands are fewer in number, very wide and 

 distinctly reddish. The pattern is further intensified by a narrow, 

 whitish border on most of the bands. With such specimens, the 

 tip of the tail is greenish-yellow, demonstrating that these Texas 

 specimens exhibit a peculiar tendency to retain a trace of the 

 brilliant yellow tail of all the New World snakes of this genus, 

 even to maturity, which is a character in direct variance with 

 specimens from the Eastern States. 



When closely examined the majority of specimens will be 

 seen to have the sides thickly powdered with minute, black dots. 



The colour of the tongue of this species is rather at variance 

 with snakes in general. This organ is usually red at the base, 

 with whitish forked portion. 



Dimensions. — The Copperhead is not a large serpent. After 

 examining several hundred specimens the writer has failed 

 to find a single individual which attained a length of four feet. 

 The largest specimen he has examined was three feet, nine inches 

 in length. It was captured in Georgia, near the coast. This 

 length is considerably above the average of large specimens. 

 The following detailed measurements relate to what might be 

 termed a large example of the species: 



Total Length 33 inches. 



Length of Tail 4i 



Diameter of Body \\ " 



Width of Head i 



Lengthof Head ig " 



421 



